Sudden deafness is hearing damage that occurs suddenly within several hours or days. The cause of sudden hearing loss is most often difficult if not impossible to establish. It could happen after a viral infection, but also due to vascular changes, autoimmune disease or the cause could remain unrevealed. None of the existing theories has been univocally accepted. The damage most often occurs unilaterally, and is manifested as sudden hearing loss in one ear, feeling of fullness and blockage, and often there is tinnitus accompanied by vertigo. Hearing loss is established by audiometric exam and analysis of tonal audiogram. Standard treatment includes vasodilators, steroids and vitamins, but with very different success.
Tinnitus (ringing ears) is the most common symptom of inner ear damage. It occurs as a consequence of acute acoustic injury, hypotension, after usage of ototoxic drugs, after stress and viral infections. It could be acute or chronic, and the treatment is mainly symptomatic.
HBOT increases partial pressure of oxygen in inner ear, ameliorates microcirculation and rheological properties of blood, lowers hematocrit and thus blood viscosity, and increases erythrocyte elasticity.
It is important to commence with HBOT as soon as possible after the occurrence of problems.
